the LIVING Word

hello everyone!

would just like to share some of my thoughts from Matthew 4:4

"Jesus answered, 'It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

personally, i've been thinking about the issue of God's Word recently, and these are some things that i've been learning from God.

firstly, it is not enough to "live on bread alone". the thing that i'd like us all to pray about is what is the "bread" in our lives? for the israelites then, "bread" was equivalent to the Law. basically, i think that "bread" is what keeps us feeling comfortable, what satisfies us just enough so that we don't yearn to seek for more of God. i'm not sure if any of you guys have felt this before, but sometimes for me after a really great worship session, i reach home and feel self-satisfied. like, "oh God i've worshipped You so much today, let me just read my Bible quickly and move on to other things. i know You'll still speak to me anyway." but is this the right attitude to have? worship CANNOT replace the importance of soaking in God's Word. because the Word is Life, it's Truth, and it's also the Sword of the Spirit. (Ephesians 6:17 - can't remember the references of the first 2 attributes)

and here's where i turn to my dad as an example. he has always been telling me that i should learn to appreciate the Word more, and to study it more thoroughly. and naturally, i've never really paid attention to what he said. however, recently i've discovered this new method that has really helped me to enjoy God's Word more, and i thought i'd share it here.

(just a disclaimer: this is what works for me. there're many other Bible study methods out there so go check them out and see what's best for you.)

basically, i take a verse, e.g. John 3:16, and write down "Observations", "Interpretations" and "Applications". so, for the verse above,

Observation - "For God so loved the world
Interpretation - God's love is for everyone! Universal, regardless of race, background or nationality.
Application - Check myself: who do i tend to not approach when i'm doing streetE? (street evangelism) ask God to forgive me for bias hidden in my heart. repent and remember to love EVERYONE, just like Christ did.

so yes this is a very simple exercise that has worked for me :)

i know this post is really long and maybe it doesn't suit the short attention spans of people out there, so here're some questions to sum up the entire post.

1) Do you LOVE God's Word? Why or why not? If not, pray for a heart that yearns for His Word. (Psalm 63:1)

2) Pray for God to make His Word come ALIVE! for you, every single day.

okay that's all, have a blessed week everyone! :)

Hey all!
Some photos from the West Coast Park outing on 27th October...
Photos have undergone major size reduction for our dial up users.
Those who want the real deal can contact me.


Nice and sunny day out!
So where's everyone???

Here they come!
Everyone waiting for the games to begin
Captain's ball!
More captain's ball!
Need I say more?

You don't have to be this tall to enter!

Or maybe you do...
Freak accidents happen all the time
Once he's patched up, it's back to more games!

After a while, some of us moved on to soccer!End of day debriefing

Handing out brochures



Okay, the photo fest ends here.
Hope you guys had a great time at west coast park too!

Transformers Brochures

Hey peeps,

Hope you all had fun at WCP =)! I certainly did and thankfully my upset stomach only started acting up after most of you had left (I shall leave out the details =p). Thanks to everyone who made it so enjoyable and especially the many of you who took the initiative to help out so willingly!!! And of course thanks God for giving us such wonderful weather! I think Darf will be coming up with the WCP photos and other stuff soon so I shall leave it to him to help us recollect the time we had.

And due to overwhelming response here's the softcopy of the brochures (big thanks to Melena for coming up with them! They look super!) so invite your friends down for the camp!:

WCP - 27 Oct 07

Heya,

Just a reminder that it is only 3 more days to WCP! It's going to be a fun time of captains ball, soccer, frisbee, Whacko (if some of you whackos really must have it), nail painting (that's if anyone brings their gear) and eye-brow plucking (I can contribute a tweezer =p)...



However there are a few possible impediments which I hope you guys can help pray about and act on if possible:

1) It's been raining/overcast sky the past 3 days so do pray that the weather will be fine because I have no idea what possible wet-weather programme I can execute if it rains (anyone want to suggest? doesn't help that the church will be fully booked for kindy).

2) Do invite the BB boys and pray that they come down cause it would be one of the few opportunities we would get to interact with them and invite them down for the camp.

3) That we will all be good and enthusiatic hosts. Let's create a welcoming and warm atmosphere for everyone who comes, not just for the BB boys but for other youths as well. There's only so much we can do activities-wise, but more importantly we should try to make everyone feel a sense of belonging and identification with other happening youths (such as yourselves) because that's one thing that makes them want to keep coming (to the YM) and hang out with us. So break out of those comfort zones and interact with others please!

Besides those few things that we can all do, I realize I need to get some people to help me out with various roles such as:

1) Advance party at WCP
2) Convoy leader stationed at PPH
3) Bring equipment (balls, frisbees)
4) Activity facillitators
5) Publicity for Youth Camp (I am still clueless as to what I can do at WCP!?!)

Will probably be calling or smsing some of you people (unless anyone graciously volunteers =D) after you've finished school today to help out so please do lend a helping hand =).

this song's been stuck in my head since the rusty russell talk. and..
haha. there's really no words to describe God's awesomeness during that session.
it was really reallly really amazing!

So won't you break free,
won't you break free ,get up and dance
in His love,his love never ending!

aren't you guys just excited about what God's doing for our youth? i really cant wait for that revival to come! till then...pray pray pray!

I Wouldn't Change A Thing

(On behalf of Shu May. Thanks Shumms =D!)

hello!

i'm emailing you because i want to share this video that i watched recently, and just some thoughts that came out of it. i don't know how to post this on the raft blog so hope you could help me do it :)



This video is basically in remembrance of Dr Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, and I think he wrote this song. I was deeply moved when I watched this because it reminded me of Paul's words in 2 Timothy 4:6. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." We always see this verse on obituaries and tombstones, but what does it actually mean to "fight the good fight"? Personally, I think Dr Bill Bright is a fantastic example of someone who has lived in our times, who has gone through the challenges of this day, and yet has still managed to keep his passion for God.

Several questions came to mind when watching this video.

1) Do i truly believe that we "wouldn't change a thing"? For me, sometimes i question God's understanding of my life and whether He really knows what's best. Yet here is a guy who boldly claims that every step he has walked with Jesus has been the BEST thing he could ever do. I really cannot imagine how much faith is needed to claim these words, to really follow God every step, every moment of the day, and this has made me reconsider how I make decisions in my own life. Do I walk in step with God, or do I run ahead of Him, claiming that i know best?

2) "For I've been truly blessed". Do we believe that following Jesus is a blessed path? I think that we often only remember the sacrifices that have to be made in the Christian life, yet God has also promised us so many blessings. Blessings of peace, of joy, of love, of hope... the list runs on. Do we know how to claim these blessings? Do we even believe that these exist? The challenge lies in acknowledging that the Christian life will not be a bed of roses, but it can still be JOYFUL, if we are continually drinking from God's strength.

Let's pray for ourselves that in 50 years' time, we will all still be on fire for Him, and passionately still in love with our God. :)

thanks so much!

shu may

okay, it may seem a little funny but as i was going home today, God told me something.

"these are my children and I love them."

no matter how dark it is, no matter how narrow the path may be, God will carry you through. just pray and believe. who wants more of God raise up your hand! (RAISES BOTH HANDS!)

okay :D

AWESOME Youth Service!!!

Hey guys!
Today's youth service is totally awesome, during the alter call after the message etc. To God be the praise!!!
But what Pastor shared today about the Eagle and the Turkey attitude is pretty illuminating in that sense... I mean, God got for us a purpose that we need to fulfill and He kinda leaves us as we are to find it(the purpose) out and work it out via reading His word, praying etc. So, we need to show to the world that Christ lives in us and that He is the living God amen? In Acts 13:47...

For this is what the Lord has commanded us:"I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth"

I mean, who does not want their buddies to be saved? You do not want to see them in hell during the End Days right?(I hope... xP)
Yeah, so i suppose we need to mull Pastor's message points over and think through it. Sounds pretty important to me...
Have a great week ahead guys and God bless those taking O and A level papers!

God bless,
Yong Quan

West Coast Park Outing

Hi everyone!

Just a reminder about the West Coast Park Outing, please come down and of course invite your friends (BB boys, school mates, siblings, parents (ermm... =p) cause we're gonna have a time of fun and normal games (yes... no Whacko)!

The details are as follows:

For WCP

By bus: Take services 176 or 175 and alight directly in front of West Coast Park. You can also take services 30, 51, and 143, alight in front of Clementi Woods Park (West Coast Road) and take a 5 minutes walk through West Coast Link to West Coast Park Area 3 (near to the Adventure Playground).

If you have more queries feel free to contact me at 97907365 =).

(I will try adding an announcements column on the right so that important activities can be easily noted next time)

(just to decorate the tagbox)

Prayer Requests

ok lar... come to think about it, i'll summarise some prayer requests.

1. Pray for Pastor Adrian and Priscilla. Must keep praying for them! (what's the latest update?)
2. Pray for the WCP outing, for a strong attendance and pray that the BB boys will be more... "open" to us in that sense.
3. Pray for the Transformers Camp '07, pray for the commitee as well.
4. Pray for a revival in the Youth Service (as seen in last week's Prayer meeting) and pray that God's revival fire fall on everybody in the congregation.
And your own prayer requests as well...

Yup, that's about all. Good luck for those taking exams now or soon!
Enjoy your week!

God is WOW

hi everyone! i just figured out how to get this blogger thing working :P anyway, same experience as josh here... i was quite stoned today after sleeping late last night (i still have exams lah haha) but when i got here and saw the whole tagboard bursting with all the testimonies and stuff i just had to type something because i'm so amazed and encouraged at all that God is doing. i don't know... when i think about how God's been doing GREATER and GREATER things each youth service, i really get the sense that we're on the brink of something truly amazing :D remember the verse josh (i think) quoted some time ago?

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

yeahhh let's remember to keep praying. for each other, for the ministry, for pastor adrian and priscilla and everything else! let's not stop posting prayer requests for friends and all that here so we can all pray for each other! i'll certainly be praying for whatever i see here :) not just that, but let's all remember to do QT and to wait upon God ("seek my face"), and to honestly come before God and confess our sins and decide we want to live in purity ("turn from their wicked ways") . that's when God'll come and bring REVIVAL into our own lives and into this ministry. I really do think He's doing just that! the more i think about it, the more i realise that this whole thing is so cool, so amazing, so impossible that ONLY GOD CAN DO IT.

So i'll pray to You :)

r0cK for Jesus. Praise the Lord

One Thing

Wow...

I was feeling like a zombie coming to work due to a lack of alot of sleep. But when I saw the tag board it was like a rush of adrenaline seeing you young people make the effort to invite your friends down =). And I'm really excited about the Pr6s response to the camp. When Jess did her thing and screened the video during Kool Club, the Pr6s and some non Pr6s were screaming to go =p.

But as we continue to do so let's not depend on our own wisdom or feel disheartened if our friends don't seem to be responding at first. Instead let's strive to emulate christ-likeness wherever we are, call upon His name and believe that our God is able to do so much more than we can imagine cause His name is higher than anything else as we sung on saturday (haha, my guitar string snapped during the 1st song but it don't matter cause God was in the house! can't wait for Sat =D):

One Thing

Transformers Publicity

Hi once again!

God is moving

Wow... it's about 8 hours after Youth Service today but I still feel so excited seeing how God is working in the YM! Just some of the few cool things happening like:

a) Awesome worship (as aptly tagged by Darf)

b) Auntie Mee Huan's class (2 new comers came right? Angeline and Shanice if I am not wrong - must say,"hi" to them next time)

c) Our youth maturing and serving Him in so many areas

d) Half/More than half the Youth responding to the alter call and kneeling before our God (what an amazing sight!!! felt so impacted by that...)

e) Packing the Youth Room during prayer meeting at 3p.m today (God really listens and works mightly when we pray so let's keep it up!!!)

There's other stuff but gosh... God is really amazing (can I get a big "AMEN!"?) but let's not grow complacent but really strive on to chase after Him!!! ok, sorry I got carried away with the stuff above but really... WOW!

Transformers - Youth Camp 2007

Back to the publicity video which perhaps you guys could use to invite your friends down for the camp =) (10/12/07 - 14/12/07)... can't wait for the camp!!!



27 October 07 - WCP Outing

And yep, just a reminded to one and all to come down to West Coast Park for a time of fun and games, some details:

Location: West Coast Park (the big field, if you can't find any familiar faces call me at 97907365)

Time: 4.00p.m (at WCP) or 3.30p.m (at church)

Activities: Games (e.g. Captains ball, Soccer, Frisbee, painting nails, stuff that the BB boys would like to do etc.)

So yep, if you have any contact with the boys do invite them down yah... haven't seen those guys in ages!

Psalm31:24
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

of course pray also la!
For the Lord our God is good, and His love endures forever.

Synchronized Prayer

Hi everyone,

Gosh, still up at this hour because I was obssessing over the new publicity stunts for Youth Camp / West Coast Park this coming weekend (Apparently someone said the videos were lame (albeit funny) so I tried to make something a little more slick this time round =p).

Ok, back to the point. Just want to encourage everyone to continue praying for Priscilla (I must admit at times it slips my mind). Let's remember to synchronize our prayers together as a ministry at 9p.m as Vincent said during last week's service. More prayer more power!!!

It was stated on Adrian's blog:

Saturday, October 6, 2007
Priscilla has "red eye" and fever. Her heart rate is high.
Pray for strength to fight this infection.

at 5:44 PM 0 comment(s)

And when I went to visit him on Monday and it was so encouraging so hear him say that his wife's fever subsided after the Youth Service (where we all prayed together for her). Praise the Lord =D! So let's not cease praying with faith and conviction for this family amongst the many other things we ought to be praying for!!!

(btw, anyone who has any prayer requests, please feel free to drop a post or tag... I for one promise I will pray about it if I view it in time =)... God is awesome!)

27 Oct 2007 West Coast Park Publicity

Hi guys,

Know it has been a long time since I've posted anything for 2 reasons:

1) Was really busy at work & driving (which I passed really due to God's grace =D)
2) Got quite disheartened that despite putting in effort to update the blog no one seemed to bother except the precious few of you (thanks!)

But yep, I have decided to get back working on it because I feel that this blog can still be a platform for informing the Youths on ongoing stuff, allow them to share stuff (Darf's music lessons), encourage one another (Alan's video from Godtube), prayer pointers (e.g. Youth camp which Joel put up), introduce their friends to what we do at the YM (Jess' Rev Maam update & Tianyi's WCP photos)etc.

Hope to come up with some other publicity stunt for the WCP outing with the BB boys & blog this coming Saturday... if I have the time to think of any ideas cause still trying to figure out what to do for camp publicity too (for the Pr 6s!!! =p). Anyone out there who's done with their exams and has any ideas or wants to help please sound out!!! Especially those helping out in Kool Club)

Anyway, here's the WCP publicity video! Please do come and make the BB boys feel welcomed!!!